When GOD Says Wait

Waiting is hard. 

We wait for a lot of things in life. Jobs. A spouse. Children. Retirement. Peace. But when the thing we're waiting for is healing--for ourselves or for someone we love--the waiting can be excruciating.

This morning my Bible reading took me to Luke 13:10-17. Jesus is traveling from town to town, often teaching in the local synagogue. This time he's there on a Sabbath, the holy day of rest in Jewish custom. One did not do any work on the Sabbath and spent the day reflecting on God's goodness. 

On that particular Sabbath, a woman is in the crowd, listening to Jesus. We don't know her name. We don't know if she's married, single, or widowed. We don't know if she was with anyone or if she was alone. We don't know if she was a regular attender to synagogue or if she'd heard about Jesus and wanted to see him for herself. The latter is a possibility, considering her situation.

What is her situation?

The woman is crippled. Stooped over to the point that she hasn't stood up straight in over eighteen years! The Bible says it was caused by a spirit, and Jesus later says Satan himself had kept her bound in the affliction. I can only imagine the physical pain she's been in for all those long years. Her bones no doubt ached. Her muscles were atrophied. She couldn't sleep well. She stared at the ground whenever she walked. Then there was the emotional pain that comes with being different. Children probably made fun of her. Adults ignored her when they passed her on the streets. Words like "unclean" were whispered. She was someone to avoid. 

On the day Jesus comes to town, this woman, despite all she's been through, is in the synagogue. The very place she needed to be in order to meet Jesus face to face. Although there's much we don't know about this woman, Jesus knew everything about her! He'd heard her many prayers through the years. He knew when he walked into the synagogue that day that she would be there. 

Picture the scene in your mind: Jesus is at the center, a scroll of scripture in front of him, sharing the Good News about the Kingdom of GOD with the crowd. But in the middle of his teaching, Jesus pauses. He sees the bent woman in the women's section. He speaks to her and calls her over. He touches her with his hands. And in that moment, he heals her. 

"Woman, you are freed from your disability." And immediately she was made straight. (v. 12-13)

Everything the woman had been waiting for--for eighteen long years--became reality in a moment! Her rigid spine straightened. Her muscles grew strong. She stood in amazement...and then she glorified GOD! We don't know why she had to wait for eighteen years, but two thousand years later, her story is still being told. 

Are you waiting for something? 

Something you've been praying about for a long time? Are there times when you wonder if GOD even hears you or cares? The woman in our story probably felt the same things. Hopelessness is heavy. Fear is debilitating. Trust is hard, especially in the midst of pain. But the thing the woman didn't know that day was that eighteen years into all of the pain and heartache, she would come face to face with the Living GOD. He would see her, speak to her, touch her, and heal her. 

Jesus knew that woman, and he knows us, too. He has plans and purposes for us. Our job is to trust him while we're waiting. 

If you have a prayer need, I would be honored to pray with you. It will be kept confidential. Send me an email at: AuthorMichelleShocklee@gmail.com

In times when I've been waiting for GOD to see, speak, touch, and heal, I've found this song encouraging. I hope you do too!

Grace and peace, 

~Michelle

COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY!

 Hello, all!

I'm thrilled to share the title and cover of my upcoming 2025 release with you! 

Here she is!

Isn't she gorgeous?! I'm positively in love with the details of this cover, because it gives readers a wonderful glimpse into the story. I wasn't sure how the designer would incorporate all the fascinating historical details that make up the setting of Oak Ridge in 1944, but she surpassed my expectations! The factory you see behind Mae, the main character in the World War II story, is taken from a photograph of one of the plants that enriched uranium for the atomic bomb! 

Here's a summary of the story:

“Not every secret needs to be told. Some just need to be forgotten.”


1944. Maebelle Willett arrives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, eager to begin her new government job and send money home to her impoverished family. She knows little about the work she will be doing, but she’s told it will help America win the war. Not all is what it seems, however. Though Oak Ridge employees are forbidden from discussing their jobs, Mae’s roommate begins sharing disturbing information, then disappears without a trace. Mae desperately attempts to find her but instead comes face-to-face with a life-altering revelation—one that comes at significant cost.

1979. Laurel Willett is a graduate student in Boston when she learns about the history of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where thousands unknowingly worked on the atomic bomb. Intrigued because she knows her Aunt Mae was employed there, Laurel decides to spend the summer with her aunt, hoping to add a family connection to her thesis research. But Mae adamantly refuses to talk about her time in the secret city. Mae’s friends, however, offer to share their experiences, propelling Laurel on her path to uncovering the truth about a missing woman. As Laurel works to put the pieces together, the hidden pain and guilt Mae has tried so hard to bury comes to light . . . with potentially disastrous consequences.

I had a grand time researching the history of Oak Ridge, known as a "Secret City" during World War II.  I'll share more about the fascinating history that went into the book in the coming months. 

PREORDER is available now!

The book will release in September 2025! 

STAY TUNED to my social media pages and this BLOG for updates!

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IT'S A GIVEAWAY!!

UPDATE:

The giveaway has ended. I've notified the winner, Emily P., via Instagram message.

THANK YOU for helping me celebrate the cover reveal, everyone!

To celebrate the Cover & Title reveal of THE WOMEN OF OAK RIDGE, I'm giving away ONE copy of an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of the book as soon as they're available. To participate in the drawing, you'll need to do a few things: 

• TO RECEIVE TWO ENTRIES: I want to grow my Instagram account. To receive TWO entries for the giveaway, please:
• 1) "FOLLOW" my page 
• 2) "LIKE" the post with the cover of THE WOMEN OF OAK RIDGE 
• 3) TAG a friend in the comments

•  TO RECEIVE ONE ENTRY: go to my Author Michelle Shocklee Facebook page and please: 
• "FOLLOW" my page 
• TAG a friend in the comments on the post with the cover of THE WOMEN OF OAK RIDGE. 

• TO RECEIVE ONE ENTRY: Leave a comment on this BLOG POST and tell me the first thing that comes to your mind when I say "Oak Ridge, Tennessee." (If this is your only entry, please include a way for me to contact you.)

That's a total of up to FOUR entries available for each person!  

The GIVEAWAY ends Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM CST.

USA only. Winner will be notified through Instagram or Facebook. 

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THANK YOU 

for helping me celebrate a new book! 

I can hardly wait to share this story 

with you!

                       ~Michelle

Does God Watch Over Us?

Many moons ago, my husband and I were the caretakers of a 400-acre ranch in the Hill Country of Texas. Here's a story from those days and the lesson we learned from it.

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2014 was not a good year for our sheep. We started losing lambs in February, and it didn't stop until April. Coyotes, bobcats, and even some wild hogs killed every single lamb that was born during the winter and spring. It was a sad, depressing time for us. Each day we would hop into the 4-wheeler to check on the sheep, wondering who would be missing from the group. I'd taken to naming the babies as they were born, but after Gimpy, Valentine, and Junior all went missing, I stopped giving them names. It was just too hard on my heart. When the easy-pickings-lambs were gone, the predators started on the ewes. Our herd dwindled to what we referred to as "the lucky thirteen." 

Thirteen terrified, unhappy survivors.

Blackbelly Barbado sheep

Hubby, aka Mighty Hunter, and I knew we had to do something or else the entire flock would be wiped out, but what? How do you protect sheep on 400 open acres of land, bordered by property dense with trees, where all manner of predators live? We tried traps, snares, hired guns, and cameras, but still the sheep disappeared one by one. 

One day I was reading about sheep and shepherds online and came across an article about llamas. Specifically, guard llamas. Llamas have a natural alertness to their surroundings. They dislike dogs and are not afraid to attack a coyote or any other predator that threatens. The more I read, the more I liked the idea of a guard llama, so I passed the information on to the property owners. 

It was soon decided we needed a llama! 

A week later, Jaxx arrived at the ranch. We moved him and the sheep to an enclosed pasture so they could bond. And you know what? We haven't lost one sheep since that day! Our herd is now up to 35 sheep, with all kinds of sweet babies. They are happy, content, and not the least bit afraid. Instead of staying huddled together in a tight group, they spread out to graze and bask in the sunshine. The lambs love "Uncle Jaxx" and follow him around when their mama's are busy eating. 

It's amazing what a difference one year and one llama made!

I can't help but think about how our Good Shepherd is always watching over us the way Jaxx watches over the sheep. Like our sheep, we are often in danger even when we don't realize it. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that our adversary, Satan, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. In Job 1:7, Satan describes how he stays busy: "...going to and fro on the earth, and walking up and down on it." You and I know he is doing his best to wreak havoc in our lives while he's here!

Like our sheep, we need a protector. We need someone who will stay alert to dangers we can't see or anticipate. We need someone who isn't the least bit afraid of the enemy and is willing to do battle for us. I don't know about you, but I need someone who will keep his eye on me 24/7/365 so I don't find myself in trouble!

Psalm 23 is a perfect picture of what we need.

The Lord is my shepherd;

I have all that I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows;

he leads me beside peaceful streams.

He renews my strength.

He guides me along right paths,

bringing honor to his name.

Even when I walk

through the darkest valley,

I will not be afraid,

for you are close beside me.

Your rod and your staff

protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me

in the presence of my enemies.

You honor me by anointing my head with oil.

My cup overflows with blessings.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me

all the days of my life,

and I will live in the house of the Lord

forever.

On those days when you wonder if God is watching over you...on those days when you're frightened and feel alone...on those days when you sense the enemy is near...know without a doubt God is right there. He will never leave you nor forsake you. All you have to do is trust Him.

Rest in that peace.

Blessings,

  ~Michelle

  

The gang.

Five Loaves, Two Fish, One Boy

Wanna know what one of my all-time favorite stories from the Bible is?

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand.

I've read this story a gazillion times. As a child, I colored pictures of loaves & fish in Sunday school. As an adult, I've written and taught about it. I've heard dozens of sermons preached on it. Yet, despite its sweet familiarity, there is mystery about this amazing event. In fact, I think the older I get, the more mystery there is. When you really study the scriptures and try to imagine the reality of the events of that day, it's kinda hard to wrap your mind around the details.

The story of Jesus feeding the five thousand is found in all four gospels (Matthew 14, Mark 6 and Luke 9), but for this post I'm going to use the one from John 6:1-15. Why? Because this is the only book that tells us where the fish and loaves came from.

"...Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee and a great crowd of people followed him..." v. 1-2

That crowd wasn't just a couple hundred people. It is estimated there were 5,000 men, plus women and children, bringing the total to between 10,000 - 20,000 people. They'd all heard about Jesus and were following him. Some believed he was the Messiah. Others were simply curious, while still others were out-and-out doubters. But there they all were, way out in the country, because of Jesus.

In the crowd that day was a boy (v.9). I'm going to imagine he was 9 or 10 years old. I remember my own boys at that age. Rambunctious. Happy. Adventurous. I think the boy in our story was having a blast running around with his friends that day. His parents were probably in the crowd of onlookers, but he was too busy to really pay attention to what this guy Jesus was saying. In fact, he was so busy having a good time he forgot to eat the lunch his mom packed for him.

By afternoon, our boy starts to get curious about Jesus. He's heard his parents talk about the miracles Jesus did, and he'd like to see one. He inches closer to where Jesus is sitting with his disciples and overhears this conversation:

"Send the crowd away so they can go find food and lodging," the disciples said to Jesus. 

"Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" Jesus asked Phillip. He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

"Eight months wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" Phillip replied. 

"You give them something to eat," Jesus tells the disciples.

I image the disciples turned to one another with "What in the world are we gonna do now!?" looks on their faces. They probably had a couple bucks between them. How could they possibly buy enough food to feed everyone?

This is when the boy might have tugged on Andrew's cloak, sneaking a peak at Jesus. "I have some fish and bread you can have."

I can almost imagine Jesus winking at the boy and the boy grinning broadly.

"Have the people sit down," Jesus said.

Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 

Amazing!

Five-thousand-plus people ate their fill, with 12 baskets of leftovers! Don't you know that boy's life changed that day! He had a front-row seat to one of the most awesome, miraculous events to ever take place. Out of a crowd of 20,000 people, God saw that kid, whose name we will never know, and said, "I'm going to use him for My glory, for My purpose."

There are so many lessons in this story. Here are some I've been pondering lately:

• When God created those 2 small fish, he knew he would feed a multitude with them. 
• When the boy's mother baked the 5 loaves, she had no idea God would use them in a miracle. 
• The boy chose to give his lunch to Jesus. 
• Other people in the crowd most likely had food, but they chose not to give it to Jesus. 
• There were people in the crowd who had done terrible things, yet Jesus fed them. 
• I can't feed the 5,000 on my own. I just have to bring my loaves and fish to Jesus and let him do the rest. 
• God sees you. He already knows. He already has a plan to use you for His glory. Trust him.

Blessings,

~Michelle

Why Forgiveness is Important, Even in Fiction

 

Forgiveness is a major theme in my novel, Under the Tulip Tree. I appreciate the way Publishers Weekly put it in their review of the book: the grace of forgiveness. 

Forgiveness isn't an easy subject to write about, mainly because the act of forgiving isn't always easy. It's especially hard when the person who needs forgiveness extended to them has done the unspeakable to you or to someone you love. 

Such is the case with the character of Frankie in Under the Tulip Tree. In the book, she is a 101-year old woman who was a slave before the Civil War. It's now 1936 and she's been asked to tell her story to a young white woman who works for the Federal Writers' Project, a real government program that sent out-of-work writers across 17 states to collect first-hand stories from former slaves. Those stories--more than 2,300 of them plus over 500 photographs--are now archived in the Library of Congress in Washington DC. 

In my research for the book, I read well over one hundred narratives (and listened to a handful of unforgettable recordings), captured by the raw honesty of the stories these former slaves told. It was that kind of honesty I hoped to portray through the character of Frankie. One of the things that struck me as I read through the first-hand accounts of life in bondage was the lack of wallowing in the pain. They simply told their life's story, with poignant details that left me brokenhearted. 

So, as I set out to write the book, one question demanded an answer.

Was it possible for a former slave to truly forgive the people who'd abused them?

I point you to Frederick Douglass, a former slave who escaped slavery and became one of the most famous authors and voices in the anti-slavery movement. His writings are fascinating and eye-opening, and they make me wish I could have heard him give one of his many passion-filled speeches. 

Yet despite Frederick Douglass' vehement words against slavery, he did an astonishing thing.

He forgave. 

"How can I claim to love Jesus Christ and still reserve for myself the right to continue to hate?" he told a crowd at the Metropolitan AME Zion Church in Washington DC. At the time, he was speaking of his hatred for Thomas Jefferson, whose words about freedom in the Declaration of Independence rang false to him. But his forgiveness didn't end with Jefferson. In his later years, Douglass sought out Thomas Auld, his former owner, and forgave him for the mistreatment he'd endured during his time of bondage. "I entertain no malice toward you personally,” Douglass wrote in a letter to Auld some years before their meeting. “There is no roof under which you would be more safe than mine, and there is nothing in my house which you might need for your comfort, which I would not readily grant…I am your fellow-man, but not your slave.” History.com has a good write-up about their meeting if you'd like to read more. 

As I studied Douglass' life and words, I wondered how many of the millions of slaves came to the same place of forgiveness as he did. The person who'd endured slavery until the very moment it was abolished. Who'd had unspeakable things done to them by another human being, simply because their skin color was different. Were they ever able to forgive their former masters and those who'd abused them?

There is no possible way for me to fully appreciate or understand what it meant to live in bondage. To grasp how utterly helpless enslaved people were against the legal ownership of a human being. To watch their children and loved ones brutally abused, sold away, and used in the most heinous ways. In writing Frankie's story, I in no way cast any judgment on an individual who might have taken their hatred to the grave with them. The truth is, I wouldn't blame them one bit.

Yet forgiveness must play a role in the story, because forgiveness is part of the human story. The story between God and man. Forgiveness isn't something any of us deserve, yet it was granted to us freely when Jesus went to the cross, carrying every sin known to man. All my sins were forgiven before I was ever born. Yours too. Forgiveness isn't something we can ever earn. It has to be freely given by the one who's been wronged, no matter if the person who wronged you ever admits it or seeks forgiveness.

Frankie's journey to forgiveness is inspired by Frederick Douglass and others who chose not to let hatred consume them, despite being completely justified in that hatred. Her journey isn't an easy one. It's filled with pain, anger, resentment, and struggle against what we know God is asking us to do. But it's a journey that must be taken by each and every one of us at some point in our lives. The circumstances that lead us on this journey will be different from one person to the next, but the peace and freedom our souls long for won't come until we set our minds on forgiveness.

If you'd like to read Frankie's story in Under the Tulip Tree, visit my website for purchase options or click the book's cover on the right of this page.

For further reading about people who forgave, visit:

• Forgiveness Forty-Eight Years After John Lewis Was Attacked (article)

• Cousins: Connected through slavery, a Black woman and a White woman discover their past—and each other (book)

• A father forgives his son's murderer (article)

Every blessing,

~Michelle

Happy 2025!

 

Happy New Year, Everyone!

I'm sure I'm not the only one who is shocked that we're already on the 5th day of a new year! Where did 2024 go? 

Our family experienced much excitement in 2024, which I'll share in a minute. I also had a new book release, and I signed a contract with Tyndale House Publishers for more books in the future. Truly, God's blessings were abundant, and we look forward to what He has for us in 2025!

As one year comes to a close and a new one begins, I like to chose a word I hope to mediate on in the coming months. The Hebrew word for meditate is "hagah." It means to moan, growl, or mutter as you "chew" on whatever it is you're meditating on. The imagery that comes with hagah is that of a lion enjoying a fresh kill. The beast will "hagah" over the meat, gnawing, purring and moaning, with eyes half-closed in pure enjoyment. 

On December 31, I decided my word for the new year would be CONQUER. I've been reading in the Book of Revelation the past few weeks, and the English Standard Version Bible uses the word "conquer" in place of overcome or victorious used in other versions. In the seven letters to the churches, Jesus says 'to him who conquers,' he will give various wonderful blessings (Rev. 2-3). One definition of conquer is: overcome and take control of (a place or people) by use of military force. I absolutely love that, because we have an enemy in this world who is seeking to destroy us. To destroy our families. The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:10-18 we need to put on our "armour" every single day in order to take a stand against the enemy's schemes. I am determined to wear my armour every day and be one of those who conquer and defeat the enemy with the help of the Lord.

But on January 2, the very familiar word PRAYER captured my attention in a new way. Our church begins each year with a period of prayer and fasting, and I like to read Isaiah 58 whenever I fast. I began doing this back in 2015, and although I don't fast as regularly as I should -- in Matthew 6:16, Jesus says "when you fast," not IF you fast -- I learn something new nearly every time I read this Old Testament passage titled "True Fasting." This week, however, what I learned wasn't about fasting. It was about prayer. 

Perhaps it's because I've been in the Book of Revelation lately, but on the morning of Jan. 2, I suddenly thought about the golden bowls in heaven mentioned in Revelation 5:8. There, the 24 elders and the 4 living creatures are holding harps and "bowls full of incense, that are the prayers of God's people." That means that when our prayers, spoken with humility and in true surrender to God, leave our mouths or thoughts, they wing their way to heaven where they are collected in golden bowls. They become eternal. 

WOW!!! 

Because of this "wow," I now have a brand new appreciation and reverence for what prayer should be. Like most people, I have times when my prayers are deep and worshipful, while other times it's a few words spoken in haste as I rush through my day. But when we recognize that our prayers are being collected in heavenly bowls and are like incense--a pleasing aroma--to God the Father, that should make us stop and consider the importance and true honor it is to speak directly to the One who sits on His throne in heaven. Our words don't need to be eloquent or memorized, but simply words spoken to our Father from our hearts.

My prayer bowl full of Words from past years.

So, I have two words to mediate on in 2025: Conquer and Prayer. 

Do you choose a word for the new year? 

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And they lived happily ever after...

Our family celebrated two weddings in 2024! Both of our sons were blessed to marry the girl of their dreams. Hubby and I couldn't be happier.

 

Congratulations to Taylor and Erica!

Congratulations to Austin and Kaley!

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BOOK NEWS! 

My latest novel, All We Thought We Knew, released in October 2024 and is available online or in bookstores. Set on a Tennessee horse farm during World War II and the Vietnam War, the story is centered on the Taylor family and everything they face during each war. Visit my website for purchase options.  

She was so sure she knew her family’s story . . . Now she wonders if she was wrong about all of it.

1969. When Mattie Taylor’s twin brother was killed in Vietnam, she lost her best friend and the only person who really understood her. Now, news that her mother is dying sends Mattie back home, despite blaming her father for Mark’s death. Mama’s last wish is that Mattie would read some old letters stored in a trunk, from people Mattie doesn’t even know. Mama insists they hold the answers Mattie is looking for.

1942. Ava Delaney is picking up the pieces of her life following her husband’s death at Pearl Harbor. Living with her mother-in-law on a secluded farm in Tennessee is far different than the life Ava imagined when she married only a few short months ago. Desperate to get out of the house, Ava seeks work at a nearby military base, where she soon discovers the American government is housing Germans who they have classified as enemy aliens. As Ava works to process legal documents for the military, she crosses paths with Gunther Schneider, a German who is helping care for wounded soldiers. Ava questions why a man as gentle and kind as Gunther should be forced to live in the internment camp, and as they become friends, her sense of the injustice grows . . . as do her feelings for him. Faced with the possibility of losing Gunther, Ava must choose whether loving someone deemed the enemy is a risk worth taking, even if it means being ostracized by all those around her.

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My next novel will release 

in September 2025!

I hope to have a Cover & Title Reveal soon! Stay tuned to this blog and to my social media pages!

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1/12/2025 UPDATE: 

The winner of my giveaway is Giveueverything. I sent you an email! 

THANK YOU to everyone who left a comment! 2025 looks like it's going to be a great year!

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IT'S A GIVEAWAY!!

To celebrate a new year, I'm giving away a signed copy of ONE of my four books shown at the top of this Blog! 

To enter, you need to do TWO things: 

1. Leave a comment on this Blog page and tell me what you're most looking forward to in the new year. Be sure to include a way for me to contact you (via social media or email). 

2. Follow me on Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/michelleshocklee/ 

OR if you don't have an Instagram account,

Follow me on my Author Facebook page (which is different from my personal Facebook page):

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMichelleShocklee1

Prize winner will be announced January 12, 2025.

USA only, please. 

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May you and yours have a very Happy 2025!

Blessings,

Michelle

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO ALL WE THOUGHT WE KNEW!

It's Release Day for

ALL WE THOUGHT WE KNEW!

I'm very excited to share this historical split-time novel set on a horse farm in Tullahoma, Tennessee with readers! There is a LOT of cool history throughout the pages of the book, along with family issues, a wounded warrior, and even a bit of mystery.

Here's the back-of-the-book blurb:

She was so sure she knew her family’s story . . . 

Now she wonders if she was wrong about all of it.

1969. When Mattie Taylor’s twin brother was killed in Vietnam, she lost her best friend and the only person who really understood her. Now, news that her mother is dying sends Mattie back home, despite blaming her father for Mark’s death. Mama’s last wish is that Mattie would read some old letters stored in a trunk, from people Mattie doesn’t even know. Mama insists they hold the answers Mattie is looking for.

1942. Ava Delaney is picking up the pieces of her life following her husband’s death at Pearl Harbor. Living with her mother-in-law on a secluded farm in Tennessee is far different than the life Ava imagined when she married only a few short months ago. Desperate to get out of the house, Ava seeks work at a nearby military base, where she soon discovers the American government is housing Germans who they have classified as enemy aliens. As Ava works to process legal documents for the military, she crosses paths with Gunther Schneider, a German who is helping care for wounded soldiers. Ava questions why a man as gentle and kind as Gunther should be forced to live in the internment camp, and as they become friends, her sense of the injustice grows . . . as do her feelings for him. Faced with the possibility of losing Gunther, Ava must choose whether loving someone deemed the enemy is a risk worth taking, even if it means being ostracized by all those around her.

In the midst of pain and loss two women must come face-to-face with their own assumptions about what they thought they knew about themselves and others. What they discover will lead to a far greater appreciation of their own legacies and the love of those dearest to them.

ALL WE THOUGHT WE KNEW is available in Paperback, Hardcover, eBook, and Audiobook. 

Go HERE for purchase information!

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To get the celebration started, I'm giving away my last Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of the book! All you have to do is leave a bookish comment on this Blog Page. I'll announce the winner on Saturday, October 12, the same day as my Facebook Launch Party! Stay tuned to my socials for more information! 

(I was originally going to give folks an extra entry for signing up for my newsletter, but alas, the service that handles my signup is not functioning properly. Sorry!)

THANK YOU for helping me celebrate the release of 

ALL WE THOUGHT WE KNEW!

Blessings,

~Michelle

Appalachian Song is a Christy Award Finalist!

I'm thrilled to share that my novel Appalachian Song is Christy Award Finalist! The awards gala will be held in Chicago on November 14.

Appalachian Song is an historical split-time novel set in the Great Smoky Mountains in the 1940s and 1970s. The theme throughout the book is "I choose you" with adoption at its heart. Here's the back of the book blurb:

Bertie Jenkins has spent forty years serving as a midwife for her community in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Out of all the mothers she’s tended, none affects her more than the young teenager who shows up on her doorstep, injured, afraid, and expecting, one warm June day in 1943. As Bertie and her four sisters tenderly nurture Songbird back to health, the bond between the childless midwife and the motherless teen grows strong. But soon Songbird is forced to make a heartbreaking decision that will tear this little family apart.

Thirty years later, the day after his father’s funeral, Walker Wylie is stunned to learn he was adopted as an infant. The famous country singer enlists the help of adoption advocate Reese Chandler in the hopes of learning why he was abandoned by his birth parents. With the only clue he has in hand, Walker and Reese head deep into the Appalachian Mountains to track down Bertie Jenkins, the midwife who holds the secrets to Walker’s past.

For more information on Appalachian Song, go here. 

For more information on the Christy Award, go here.

I hope you'll join me in cheering for Bertie and Songbird!

Blessings,

Michelle

COVER AND TITLE REVEAL!

Drumroll, please!

I'm thrilled to reveal the COVER and TITLE of my next historical split-time novel!

Isn't she gorgeous?!

Much thanks to the fabulous design team at Tyndale House Publishers for this absolutely stunning cover! I can't wait to share this book with readers later this year, but for now, here's a little sneak peek at the storyline.

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TULLAHOMA, TENNESSEE

1942
Ava must put her life back together after her husband is killed at Pearl Harbor. A job at Camp Forrest provides income, but it also puts her in contact with Enemy Aliens interned on the military installation. Can she trust the German medical student whose friendship means more to her than it should?

1969
Mattie ran away from the pain when her brother was killed in Vietnam. Now she’s back in Tullahoma facing another devastating loss. Yet it is the bundle of WWII letters Mama insists she reads that makes her question everything she thought she knew about herself.

PREORDER COMING SOON! 

STAY TUNED!!

RELEASES OCTOBER 1, 2024

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YOUR TURN: What is your favorite thing about the cover of ALL WE THOUGHT WE KNEW? Leave a comment on this blog post and I'll put your name in a drawing for a $10 Amazon gift card. Drawing closes March 2. US residents only, please.

3/2/24 UPDATE: Chelsie is the winner! I've notified her via email. THANK YOU, everyone, for your wonderfully encouraging comments about the cover, the title, and the story! I hope you enjoy Ava and Mattie's story when it releases October 1!

Be sure to check out my other titles! You can find them on the sidebar of this page, on my website, or at your favorite online bookseller!

Blessings,

Michelle

Appalachian Song Releases TODAY!

 

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO 

Appalachian Song!!

Readers,

I am thrilled to finally get to share this story with you! The characters, setting, and history have quickly become some of my favorites, and I hope they'll become yours too.

The Walker Sisters
Photo taken by Jim Shelton in 1909.

The first time I visited the Walker Sisters cabin, deep in the Great Smoky Mountains near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, I knew I would write a book about them someday. I'm excited to tell you Appalachian Song is that book! While it is inspired by the real Walker Sisters' fascinating lives in the Appalachian mountains of Tennessee, the story follows the fictional Jenkins Sisters and the young girl who captures their hearts. 

Here's the back-of-the-book blurb:

Bertie Jenkins has spent forty years serving as a midwife for her community in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Out of all the mothers she’s tended, none affects her more than the young teenager who shows up on her doorstep, injured, afraid, and expecting, one warm June day in 1943. As Bertie and her four sisters tenderly nurture Songbird back to health, the bond between the childless midwife and the motherless teen grows strong. But soon Songbird is forced to make a heartbreaking decision that will tear this little family apart.

Thirty years later, the day after his father’s funeral, Walker Wylie is stunned to learn he was adopted as an infant. The famous country singer enlists the help of adoption advocate Reese Chandler in the hopes of learning why he was abandoned by his birth parents. With the only clue he has in hand, Walker and Reese head deep into the Appalachian Mountains to track down Bertie Jenkins, the midwife who holds the secrets to Walker’s past.

Appalachian Song is available in hard cover, soft cover, eBook, 

and Audiobook. To snag your copy, go HERE!

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              ENTER MY GIVEAWAY!

My little red VW Bug
on the Walker Sisters' cabin
porch. One of the characters 
in Appalachian Song drives
a car just like this!

I'm giving away a FREE signed copy of Appalachian Song (or choice of one of my other books) to subscribers of my newsletter. I'd love to include your name in the drawing! If you aren't already a subscriber, just go to the top right corner of this page and fill in your email address and WA-LA! You're entered in the contest. I'll draw a winner on October 31. 

PS. If you aren't sure if you're a subscriber or not, check your email inbox. I sent out a newsletter today! 

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JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK 

FOR THE LAUNCH PARTY! 

I will celebrate the release of Appalachian Song with a Facebook Launch Party on Saturday, October 14, 2023 from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CST! Lots of fun and prizes, including books, Amazon gift cards, and 

bookish goodies. 

Just go to my Facebook Author Michelle Shocklee page and click the "Like" button so you'll be sure to get my updates in your Facebook feed. I will post reminders, but mark your calendars! You don't want to miss the party!

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Me at the Walker Sisters cabin site.
This is the springhouse John Walker built
in the 1870s. Bertie and her sisters
have one just like it that their 
Papa built!

THANK YOU, everyone, for celebrating with me! If you enjoy reading Appalachian Song, I would love it if you'd leave a review on Goodreads, Amazon, Bookbub, or on social media.

Book club folks, I would love to join you via Zoom or in person if you're local! Shoot me an email for details. 

Many blessings to you all,

~Michelle